News

FUNK DIVISION are a hard-gigging soul band from Birmingham (West Midlands UK that is). When we last heard 'em – back in 2016 – they were a trio promoting a great tune, 'Tell Me Something'.

Now the band (who were called Sound Garden till 2014) has slimmed down to a duo – Mark Anthony Dufus and Derek King – and the pair are busy with their latest single – 'If You Were Mine'. The track comes in three mixes – "Disco", "House" and "Soul" and each mix sounds exactly as described. Odd though, given the band's name, we don't have a "funk" mix! It won't surprise you to learn that the "Soul" mix is the one that hits home here at SJF. It's a steady, tight modern soul groove with convincing vocals; it's very insistent too ... bit of an earworm!

Over the years we've tracked the career of American music entrepreneur BEY BRIGHT and his latest project is a sensual soul single, 'Man Crush Everyday'.

Featured vocalist on the old school tune is BLÉZ CLOE a singer Bey first worked with on the song 'Special' from his 'Nu Indie Soul Volume 3' album. Ms Cloe sings with passion and conviction – her debut album is due later this year by the way – while Bey simply says the song "is inspired by my favorite pastime, "passionate love-making."".... can't say much more than that!

Back in 2016 we spotlighted Texan soulstress K.AVETT (pronounced "kay uh vet") and her debut album 'K.Avett: Revelations' from which the single – the double A side 'Show Me'/'Alone' won plenty of support for its kind of Jill Scott meets Conya Doss jazzy/neo soul flavours.

Right now the singer is preparing for the release of her sophomore album, 'Lioness' from which the lead single 'Feelin' Good' / 'The Matter' has just become available. 'Feelin' Good' is lazy jazz-soul ramble very much in the mode of the aforementioned Jill Scott while 'The Matter' has a more complex, layered sound to it. Both, though, have a summery vibe – most welcome at this still chilly time of year!

RICARDO BACELAR is a noted Brazilian pianist/composer/arranger. He began his music career in rock band Hanoi Hanoi but in 2001 he jumped ship, embraced jazz and released his first solo album, 'In Natura'. Then he returned to his trained profession.... he's a fully qualified lawyer – and devoted his energies to working on copyright and intellectual property cases. Music, though, beckoned and in 2016 he "cameback" with 'Concerto Para Moviola'.

Ricardo has now released his most ambitious project - 'Sebastiana' – a 15 track set that celebrates the whole gamut of Latin American music from a Brazilian perspective. That said, the long player was actually recorded in Miami, a city that Senor Barcelar calls "the centre of Latin music". There he assembled a team to create a music that honours the roots of Brazilian music yet incorporates each individual player's culture and musical heritage.

The album boasts two tunes penned by Bacelar and Lemos with the remaining 13 tracks coming from the catalogues of some of Brazil's most celebrated composers.... amongst them Gilberto Gil, Ivan Lins, Flora Purim, Lo Borges, Tom Jobim, Victor Martins and Milton Nascimento whose lovely 'Nothing Will Be As It Was' is the album's lead focus single. The track has a haunting, ethereal quality heightened by Hinson's pedal steel and Osorio's sensual vocal.

Bacelar says: "When I recorded this album, I wanted to pay homage to Brazilian music presenting distinct performances of Latin American musicians who put elements of their own cultures into the fusion of influences. That fusion of elements of cultures and influences in a recording turns the music into a transmission vehicle of knowledge." You can read more of Bacelar's music philosophy in the lavish booklet that accompanies the album.

Great news for all proper soul fans! The mighty, mighty TEMPTATIONS have announced that they'll soon be releasing a brand new studio album –their first in over eight years!

'All The Time' hits the sales racks on May 4th and we're told that the set marks a subtle change of direction for the Emperors of Soul. You see the bulk of the tracks are covers of songs from leading contemporary artists like Sam Smith, Bruno Mars, John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. There are also songs originally recorded by Maxwell and someone called Michael Jackson! There will also be three new, original Temptations songs.

The producer is Dave Darling known for his work with, among others, Glen Campbell, Brian Setzer, Tom Waits, and Janiva Magness and the Tempts current lineup is Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Larry Braggs, and Willie Greene.

The album's digital format includes two tracks available for immediate download and streaming today (Friday 16th March) with album preorder, as well as two bonus track remixes.